Wayne Rooney Craving for Lone Striker Role at Manchester United

The Reds skipper will doubtless continue in midfield at Preston but Rooney should be puzzled by Louis van Gaal's faith in Robin van Persie


The previous time Wayne Rooney started in midfield for Manchester United he ended up seeking clarification over his future, was dropped by Sir Alex Ferguson and accused of handing in a transfer request.

Almost two years on, Rooney's long-term future at United is so secure he will inherit the title 'ambassador' once his playing career finishes. The club's indulgence of him, from the hike in wages despite fluttering his eyelashes at City and then Chelsea, to appointing him captain, has angered some and pleased others.

By making Rooney his captain, Louis van Gaal has granted him first-team privileges. The upside for Rooney is he is assured of starting every game he is available for, the downside is his position varies.

Van Gaal appears to be the only one who believes Rooney's midfield role benefits United when he has, in fact, blunted his attacking prowess. Rooney is a grafter and has beefed up a lightweight midfield, and that doesn't compensate for his heavy first touch and wayward passing.

He deserves a chance up front again, possibly on his own.

Van Gaal has seldom been asked about playing abandoning two up front because ever since Radamel Falcao arrived it has become an obligation. Excluding Falcao from the line-up against Southampton created a stir, so you can imagine what the reaction would be if Robin van Persie or Rooney joined him on the sidelines.

Two up front suggests an attacking approach when, ironically, it has contributed to United's tiki-takenaccio, as one Red described it. United enjoy moribund, sterile domination of the ball, the strikers are left with slim pickings and there is no fluidity in midfield.

Partly, that is due to Rooney's deployment there. His immobility compelled Sir Alex Ferguson to sign Shinji Kagawa and select Danny Welbeck over him for the Champions League tie with Real Madrid two seasons ago. Rooney likes to think of himself as a No.10 but he hasn't succeeded in that role since the tail-end of the 2010-11 campaign, when he struck up a telepathic partnership with Javier Hernandez.